Operation Dronagiri & Integrated Geospatial Data Interface (GDI)

Overview

• Launched by: Ministry of Science and Technology (India).
• Framework: Part of National Geospatial Policy 2022, aiming to democratize geospatial data and build a “geospatial-ready” India.
• Objective: Liberalize geospatial data access, enhance infrastructure, and foster innovation for socio-economic growth.

What is Geospatial Data?

• Definition: Information tied to geographic locations (e.g., satellite imagery, GPS coordinates, census data, social media tags).
• Significance:
  • Critical for urban planning, disaster management, agriculture, defense, and logistics.
  • Recognized as National Infrastructure due to its role in governance and economic development.

Operation Dronagiri

• Managed by: Geospatial Innovation Cell (GIC), Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• Purpose: Pilot project to demonstrate geospatial technology’s potential in:
  • Citizen Services: Healthcare, education, and disaster response.
  • Ease of Doing Business: Streamlining land records, logistics, and industrial site selection.
• Phase 1 Implementation:
  • States: Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra.
  • Focus Areas:
    • Agriculture: Precision farming using soil health maps and satellite-based irrigation advisories.
    • Urban Development: Smart city planning with 3D mapping and traffic management.
    • Disaster Resilience: Flood modeling, landslide risk zones, and early warning systems.
    • Land Records: Digitizing cadastral maps to resolve property disputes.

Integrated Geospatial Data Interface (GDI)

• Role: Centralized platform for sharing and accessing geospatial datasets across government, private, and public sectors.
• Features:
  • Interoperability: Integrates data from diverse sources (ISRO, Survey of India, private drones, IoT sensors).
  • Open Access: Freely available datasets for startups, researchers, and citizens (with privacy safeguards).
  • Analytics Tools: AI/ML modules for predictive modeling (e.g., crop yield, urban sprawl).
• Benefits:
  • Reduces duplication of data collection efforts.
  • Accelerates decision-making in sectors like healthcare (disease tracking) and infrastructure (road network optimization).

Significance of the Initiatives

1. Economic Growth:
   • Expected to add $20–30 billion to India’s GDP by 2030 through efficient resource management.
   • Boosts geospatial startups (e.g., drone mapping, GIS analytics).
2. Social Impact:
   • Healthcare: Mapping disease outbreaks (e.g., malaria hotspots in Assam).
   • Education: Identifying underserved regions for school construction.
3. Global Positioning: Aligns with UN’s Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF) to meet SDGs.

Key Stakeholders

• Government: Survey of India, ISRO, NIC, state governments.
• Private Sector: Drone startups (e.g., ideaForge), GIS firms (e.g., ESRI India).
• Academia: IITs, NITs, and regional universities for skill development.

Challenges

• Data Privacy: Balancing open access with sensitive data protection (e.g., military installations).
• Standardization: Harmonizing data formats from disparate sources.
• Skill Gaps: Need for trained geospatial professionals (target: 100,000 specialists by 2025).

Future Roadmap

• Phase 2: Expand to all states, integrate real-time data from drones and satellites.
• Policy Support: Incentivize private sector participation via tax breaks and R&D grants.
• Global Collaboration: Partner with agencies like NASA, ESA for advanced earth observation.